Slip into my thoughts and do watch your step

Daily Archives: March 19, 2015

For the first time in three week I ventured out to Panera on a Wednesday night, because I’m over my funk–well, a bit, anyway–and I needed to get out and do something. That “something”, of course, being writing, or whatever comes close to that. Since I’d edited about five thousand words the night before, I figured it was time to get back into B For Bewitching and start laying out a chapter or two–

Or maybe more?

By the time I was done I’d finished up one act and started another, and did something else that’s just as important to the story. So . . . wanna see? Of course you do: that’s why you’re here.

First off, let’s start with the end of Act Two:

As advertised, it is surely the end.

Three chapters, eleven scenes, though at least two of those scenes will have sub-scenes once I get into the writing of them. I may add those before I start writing, I may wait until the words flow, but I’m certain they’ll appear. By a rough count there is at least twenty-five thousand words that go go into just three three chapters, though who really knows, right? Really, I’m gonna work hard to keep it under two hundred thousand words this time, I promise.

It might not look like it, but there are a couple of classroom scenes here, and Time For Death may be the most telling. Guess what, kids? Time for the Mistress of All Things Dark to start showing you why you’re in Sorcery. In fact, Helena’s first words to the class will be, “Today I’m going to show you how to kill someone.” Unspeakable Curses, my ass: she’s gonna lay it all out for her students, and she’ll even have a way of showing the class how it’s done–alone with a couple of current students who’ve had a bit of experience in the field showing off their stuff. No extra points for guess their names . . .

As Seen in Cardiff is being deliberately vague, because I like vague. I was called a tease yesterday, and yep, I am. There is a lot happening in this novel that’s a direct tease: in fact, I don’t even get into something truly important in the life of my kids until Chapter Seventeen, and that will get jerked around until a ways into Act Three.

Speaking of which . . .

Not as nice or neat, but it’s getting there.

First off, ignore anything from Chapter Twenty-Two on down. I imported A For Advanced so I could use that layout for this novel, and that’s why you see total word counts on some of these chapters. Once I get down there and start adding things, those counts will vanish.

Chapter Twenty is a big setup for something to come. It’s also the second time in the story we get to see our Favorite French Headmistress, who finally gets a scene of her own. Don’t worry, Mathilde will show up a few more times in the novel, but unlike the first novel, she isn’t seen as much here. Why? Because she’s not a big part of this story. The next novel, however . . .

Chapter Twenty-One, Night Flight, is already shaping up to be one of those chapters I’m really looking forward to writing, and in here is a scene that, if I can write it out as I see it in my head, is going to become one of my favorites. Really, I want to start writing this now, but I can’t because . . . stuff. And things . . .

Then there’s Chapter Twenty-Two, Mount Katahdin, and I haven’t laid that out yet, but it’s likely I will tonight. Remember I once mentioned that there is a huge cross country race, three hundred kilometers in length, held every year around this location? This is it: this is the race. And since I’ve already laid out a few hints about someone’s involvement in racing, you can probably figure out what’s going to happen. This is going to be one of the most difficult chapters for me to write, because I want it to be exciting without being boring, and that’s not always easy to do.

Lastly I did this:

I have a list of names–

Long ago, back in October of 2013, I figured out all my A Levels attending the 2011/2012 Salem school year. I not only figured out their names, but where they were from, and the coven into which they were placed. Well, if I’m going to go forward with the novel, there has to be some attrition, and it was Triage Time last night. Alica was already a given: she vanished after the first night at school. Everyone else who is italicized and has a big “(A)” after their coven name is also gone, and a close examination shows that fifty percent of Ms. Rutherford’s 2011 London Collection is no longer attending Salem. A sad state of affairs, but Maddie did tell everyone the first day of class that by the time graduation rolls around, about half the people in the room will be gone. Looks like it’s headed that way.

There you have it: more fun, more madness, more happiness and sorrow. And the best is yet to come.

What Has Gone Before

Check the Past by Date

It’s been a while since I’ve spoken with you. Perhaps speak isn’t the correct way to put things, but it works for me. In a way, I am speaking to you: I’m dictating this with Dragon software. It seems in the past couple of days Dragon has learned my idiosyncrasies far better than before, and […]